Photographing The White House
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When I visited Washington, DC for the first time two years ago, I dropped my bags off at the hotel and immediately started walking toward the White House. After years of watching The West Wing and following Presidential politics, it is the place I felt the gravity of the city pulling me. I didn’t come for photography that time, I was in DC for an interview, but I returned with my camera in hand a few months later once I moved to town.
That first time I came to take photos of The White House, I was a little disappointed. The White House is one of the most restrictive photo locales in DC and your photo opportunities are limited by fencing and landscaping. At the U.S. Capitol Building, you have 360 degrees to walk around the building and find angles you like. At the White House, you have 100 degrees, at best. Over subsequent trips, I’ve managed to get photos I’m happy with. I’ll share some of what I’ve learned below.
This article is about photographing the exterior of the White House. Tours of the inside are available, but photography is not allowed. If you’re interested in scheduling a tour you can do that through your Senator or Representative’s office. You can also take a virtual tour of the interior through the Google Art Project.
When to Go
The area around the White House, outside of the fencing, is open every day of the year. There are occasionally restrictions when special events are happening (e.g., state dinners, Marine 1 landings and takeoffs, etc.) but those are rare and usually don’t last long so you don’t have to worry about missing an opportunity for a few pictures. You can check the White House schedule for events that may restrict your access. Photographic opportunities at the White House do not vary much over the course of the year. For the most part, the picture you get in the Spring will look similar to the one you take in the Fall. The flowers and the leaves change with the seasons but given the restrictions on angles for photos, there aren’t great opportunities to take advantage of those color differences.
During the Christmas season, wreaths are hung from the balconies and some of the National Christmas Tree related decorations can be included in your photos. For certain occasions, the White House will be splashed in colored lighting. In October, for example, the White House is lit up with pink light to raise awareness for breast cancer.
I’ve gotten some decent pictures of the White House at sunrise and sunset; however restrictions on tripods can make it difficult to get sharp photos in low light conditions (I usually try to brace the camera against the fence at these times). Crowds, which can be considerable around the White House, are not really a factor in deciding when to go. Once you get up to the fence, there won’t be a problem with people getting in between you and the White House. The area around the White House is a gathering place for some of the more eccentric and interesting people in Washington, DC, but they often don’t appear until later in the day. With these considerations in mind, I recommend visiting the White House during the daytime; preferably when it is cloudy to help even out the light.
Photographic Possibilities
Click on the map to see it in a larger size.
-North Side-
The North side of the White House along Pennsylvania Avenue is the view you’re probably most used to seeing on TV or on the news. I’ve gotten my favorite pictures of the White House from this side. There are a couple different options for photos here.
First are those taken through the fence. I prefer this approach, as opposed to photos from further back, because I like to maintain the illusion of there not being a fence or that I am important enough to be inside of it. The bars of the wrought iron fence are not evenly spaced. The trick for SLR users is finding bars that are far enough apart to fit your camera lens through. I have found gaps wide enough for my 18-200mm Nikkor lens and my 11-16mm Tokina (which is much wider) but have had to remove the lens hood once or twice. You just have to look around a bit. My favorite angle is straight on (as in the picture below). At that point in the fence (1) there is a design fashioned in the iron. That design opens up enough space to easily fit a lens through.
Tips
- When taking a photo straight on with a wide-angle lens you’ll notice the vertical lines of the White House are no parallel; the building appears to lean backward. You can use the lens correction tool in Photoshop to fix this.
- Press the camera body against the bars to help stabilize the camera.
You can also take a photo at an angle, though this makes finding a sufficient gap in the bars even more important. I like the 45-degree angle of the photo below (2), which includes the fountain and some of the North Lawn. The complement of this photo (i.e., one taken from 45 degrees the other direction) will put you behind trees.
Taken at 18mm focal length
Photos taken from further back, either on the closed off section of Pennsylvania Ave. or from Lafayette Park (3) can also be interesting. As I mentioned earlier, this is a gathering place for an interesting cast of characters and occasionally medium-size protests. Lafayette Park is a great location for seasonal flowers, particularly for tulips in the springtime. Protestors and flowers both make for interesting foreground elements in photos of the White House.
-South Side-
On the South side of the White House the trees that line the South lawn form a funnel that narrows the angle of view, so your choices here are limited. There are two walkways that line E Street (4) and there is very little room to maneuver on either of them. At busy times it can be a bit claustrophobic. But the view is worth it. From this angle you are several hundred feet away from the White House so having a zoom lens will help you find the composition you want. From the walkway on the North side of the road, you can again take photos through the fence. On the South side of the road, you can include people to give the photo a sense of scale.
When it is not undergoing turf restoration and is open to the public, the Ellipse (5) offers a less claustrophobic position to take photos from. It is further away so you’ll need a more substantial zoom lens to frame your photo. The Ellipse is also the best place to photograph Marine 1.
A less common photo location for the White House is across Constitution Ave. near the base of the Washington Monument (6). From there you have a slightly elevated position so you don’t have to include the fence. Also, you can use a tripod here, so it’s possible to use a much longer focal length and to take photos at night.
Taken with a 300mm lens and tripod
-Special Events-
For those who can make travel plans at the drop of a hat (I am not one of them) or those who live in a reasonable driving distance of DC, the White House offers some other interesting photographic opportunities. I write in more detail about these events elsewhere on the blog but I wanted to make you aware of them here. First, the White House offers Spring and Fall Garden Tours, during which you can view (up close) the well-maintained landscaping on the South Side of the White House. These events usually take place on weekends in April and September, but the exact weekend isn’t announced until about a week ahead of time. Second, the lighting of the National Christmas Tree doesn’t get you any closer to the White House but it is an interesting event. The only problem here is that you have to win (free) tickets through a lottery. One of my favorite events is seeing Marine 1 land and take off. Knowing when to be there to capture this is tough but not impossible. Finally, the White House has been reaching out to the public via social media. I have had the good fortune to attend events at the White House via drawings announced on Twitter and Google+. These have offered opportunities to photograph the White House that I likely wouldn’t have gotten any other way.
What to Bring
Lens: A standard zoom lens (DX: 18-135mm, FX: 27-200mm) is sufficient for capturing most photos around the White House. On the North side, where you are closer, 18mm (for DX cameras) is wide enough to capture the façade of the building as well as the sky behind it. On the South side, you will want the ability to zoom in a bit.
Tripod: If you’re going out just to photograph the White House, I recommend leaving the tripod behind. Tripod use is restricted in most of the area around the White House. They are not allowed along Pennsylvania Ave., in Lafayette Park, on the South side pedestrian walkways, and on the Ellipse. Tripods are allowed, however, on the South side of Constitution Ave. near the Washington Monument. If you have a long telephoto lens (200-300mm) you can get some good, tripod assisted photos from there.
Flash: If you aren’t planning on taking a lot of portrait-type shots, I recommend saving the space and weight and leaving the flash at home (or in your hotel room). A hot-shoe flash may help with fill lighting if you are taking pictures of friends or family, but will do you little good otherwise. The fences keep you back far enough and the White House is large enough, that the flash won’t be helpful for light. You’re better off dealing with natural light.
Filters: You may find a circular polarizing filter helpful, especially during the day, for capturing deeper blues in the sky, darker greens in the grass and other landscaping, as well as limiting reflections from the White House (it is white after all).
Bag: There are no bag restrictions for the area around the White House. Given what I’ve recommended as far as equipment to bring, a small-shoulder bag should be sufficient.
Additional Resources
- My White House Photo Set at Flickr – I didn’t put all of my White House photos in this article. You can see past and future photos by clicking this link.
- Construction Update – Check here for the most recent copy of the Construction Update (updated quarterly) to see if there are any construction projects that may interfere with your photographic opportunities at the White House.
- Event Calendar – I post events here as often as soon as I hear about them. Check back to find events like the Fall/Spring Garden Tours, the Easter Egg Roll, the Christmas Tree Lighting, and more.
- Monumental Thoughts – Rick is a local tour guide that always has interesting things to say about local history. If you’re interested in some historical background to what you’re photographing, check out his listing of blog articles on the White House.
- DC Like a Local – I often go light on the logistical details (e.g., how to get to the White House) because other sites, like this one, do it better than I could.
- Related Articles – For information and recommendations about special events happening in or around the White House, check out Photographing the White House Grounds, Photographing Marine 1, Photographic Opportunity – The National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, and Photographing Rallies and Protests.
Summary
What: The White House
Where: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
When: Anytime
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Lens: Telephoto (DX: 18-135mm; FX: 27-200mm) & Super-Telephoto (>135mm; >200mm)
Tripod: Leave it
Flash: Leave it
Filter: Circular Polarizer
Bag: Any Size
Construction Report: April – June 2012
A few months ago, a Phototourism DC reader wrote to me and asked whether the amount of construction at popular sites around town would make a trip to DC disappointing. I laid out where the major construction is and how it may impact photography so she could decide for herself. After I wrote that e-mail I thought that that would make a great recurring column on the blog. This is the third installment of this series. Not much has changed since the last installment but some projects are near completion and others are about to get started.
Feel free to comment below and let me (and the readers) know if I missed the mark about how this construction might impact their photography. Also, if there is a picturesque area in DC that’s under construction that I should add, let me know. I update this post throughout the quarter.
CURRENT PROJECTS
1. The Washington Monument - The Monument suffered damage in the August 2011 earthquake. It took awhile to diagnose exactly what happened but the damage was quite extensive. Since that day the observation platform at the top has been closed and the area around the base has been fenced off.
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Impact: MEDIUM - There are still plenty of angles to get pictures of the exterior of the Monument though the fence surrounding the base may show up in some of your closer ones. Also, the observation deck is a unique place, offering views that you can’t get anywhere else (like the one on the right). The Old Post Office Clock Tower offers the closest approximation but it’s just not the same. Once renovations start, cranes, scaffolding, and other equipment is going to litter the view.
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Expected Completion: Summer 2013 – The Washington Post reported a couple months ago that the Monument will be closed through all of 2012 and likely longer. The construction is not expected to start until this summer and the repairs will take about a year. It is unclear at this point whether the Monument would open back up before all of the construction is complete. Stay tuned.______________________________________________________________
2. Washington National Cathedral - The Cathedral also took a hit in the earthquake, losing some of the spires on the roof. The interior is now open to the public and there is scaffolding around the exterior.
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Impact: HIGH – While the exterior of the Cathedral ordinarily makes for great photographs, the equipment, scaffolding, and fencing makes this a poor time to go. You can still get unobstructed views of the front of the Cathedral but the side is not picturesque (see photo below). The interior of the Cathedral is the real attraction but netting spans the ceiling of the sanctuary to protect visitors from falling debris (see photo below). As masons check the ceiling there will be scaffolding set up on the interior as well. There are other places in the Cathedral to take photos, and if there weren’t a better alternative I’d be tempted to give it a MEDIUM rating, but if you only have a short time you should check out the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception instead.
- Expected Completion: Phototourism DC reader, talented photographer, and Cathedral docent Chris Budny filled me in (see his comments) on the timeline for these repairs. The exterior of the Cathedral will be in various states of disrepair for the next 10 YEARS! The interior work will also likely take years. The Cathedral is still open but unobstructed wide-angle shots will be tough to come by.
Photos taken April 1st, 2012
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Photo taken April 1st, 2012
3. The Reflecting Pool - One of the most well-known features in DC, the Reflecting Pool, is currently undergoing renovation to add filtration systems. The work has been moving along for a year and is nearly complete.
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Impact: HIGH - Some of the most iconic views of DC incorporate the Reflecting Pool in some way. Whether that be photos of the Lincoln Memorial or of the Washington Monument.
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Expected Completion: I was skeptical that the renovations would be completed on time (the National Park Service (NPS) website says the expected completion date is Spring, 2012) but the work seems to be going really well. I wouldn’t be surprised if they finish the project by late Spring or early Summer.______________________________________________________________
Photo taken March 29, 2012
4. The National Mall – In addition to the normal turf restoration that goes on during the winter months there is also a more extensive project laying of sewer and draining pipes. There are fences blocking off the Mall from 3rd St. near the Capitol down to the Smithsonian Castle (basically the area shown in the Washington Monument picture above).
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Impact: HIGH- The construction zone looks just like that, a construction zone; piles of dirt, construction equipment, and fencing. I’m sure things will look great when they’re done but 1/3 of the National Mall looks absolutely horrible right now. Photos down the National Mall either of, or from, the Capitol include this eyesore.
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Expected Completion: December, 2012 – Signs posted on the fences surrounding the construction zone say the project will continue through December.
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Photo taken March 29, 2012
5. The U.S. Capitol – One of the most iconic sites in DC, the Capitol and it’s dome, are going through a bit of a restoration. A tour guide told me that, right now, the plan is to restore the area around the base of the dome but if plans and funding are approved to eventually restore the whole thing. Construction staging areas have been set up on the Northwest and Southeast sides of the Capitol. Scaffolding, tubes, conveyer belts, and plastic sheeting now rings the base of the dome.
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Impact: MEDIUM- I’ve seen people’s comments on pictures of the Capitol and they don’t seem to notice what I call the neckbrace around the base of the dome, so I am lowering this to an impact of medium. It still bothers the hell out of me.
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Expected Completion: 6 months-5 years - According to an article in the Washington Post, the work around the base of the dome is expected to be complete around October, 2012, and the additional restoration, if approved, would take an another 3-4 years (possibly into 2016).
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6. Union Station – The city of Washington, DC has embarked on a long term restoration of the area immediately in front of Union Station. The interior is also undergoing repair for damage suffered during the earthquake.
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Impact: HIGH- The exterior construction has expanded to take over most of the area in front of Union Station. Exterior pictures without construction barriers are very difficult now. The interior is highly cluttered with scaffolding. There are also nets hanging across the entire main hall to protect people from falling bits of plaster. All of this makes for less than desirable photography.
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Expected Completion: Exterior: 2013- References to this construction in newspapers have referred to this as a 2-year construction process and it began in August of 2011. Interior: several months at least – It’s hard to say but judging by the amount of scaffolding it looks like there’s a lot of work to be done.
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7. The Ellipse – The entire Ellipse is currently blocked off for turf restoration. Also, the area in front of the White House will soon undergo a massive restoration to help hide some of the functional but unfashionable security features and make the park more useful and beautiful.
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Impact: Medium- The Ellipse itself is not very picturesque. It is a great place, however, to view the White House and to catch a glimpse of Marine 1. The walkways on the south side of the White House Grounds are still open but the large Ellipse area is closed off.
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Expected Completion: Fences will likely block off the Ellipse for the remainder of the Spring and possibly into the Summer. They may start the restoration project soon as well, meaning it could be more than a year until this area is open to the public.______________________________________________________________
8. The National Museum of African American History and Culture - The newest Smithsonian Museum, set to open in 2015, is now just an open construction lot.
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Impact: Low – The reason I bring this up here is because I’ve gotten several great pictures of the Washington Monument during twilight (see picture on the right) from the place that is now fenced off for construction. There are plenty of other great places to take picture of the Washington Monument though.
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Expected Completion: The museum is expected to be completed in 2015. I can’t tell from the drawings of the building whether there will still be a nice, unobstructed view of the Washington Monument from it’s grounds. But there will be plenty of new sights to photograph.
UPCOMING PROJECTS
1. Constitution Gardens – A contractor was recently selected to revitalize the area just to the North of the Reflecting Pool. This area isn’t necessarily a draw for people but it does offer great views of the Washington Monument and is beautiful in the Fall.
2. Union Station Interior – In addition to cleaning up the damage from the August 2011 earthquake, a number of construction projects are planned for the interior of the station, including removing the elevated restaurant in the middle of the Grand Hall and adding stairwells to the lower level.
3. American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial – This Memorial is supposed to go up relatively soon in an area to the South of the National Botanic Gardens. It is out of the way and won’t likely get in the way of your photos but it’s worth keeping in mind as a photo location in a year or two when it’s complete.
Photographing Arlington National Cemetery
Click on the image and download the full-size image for a desktop wallpaper.
While many of the sites in Washington, DC convey a sense of awe, none bring forth the range of emotions that a trip to Arlington Cemetery does. I oscillate between sadness and pride, between wonder and loneliness. The challenge of capturing these emotions in a photo is what makes Arlington Cemetery a must-see place for photographers.
When I first went to Arlington, I felt conflicted about taking photographs there. Like I said, it can spur some pretty strong emotions and you don’t want to feel like you’re exploiting someone’s loss for the sake of a great photograph. I quickly got over this as I realized that it is more than just a cemetery. For better or worse it’s a tourist attraction; it’s there for people to see and remember the sacrifices of our military. And so long as it’s treated with respect, there should be no conflict with trying to remember this sacrifice through photography.
When to Go
Arlington Cemetery is open 365 days a year and is a great place to go year round. Like many cemeteries, the landscaping is diverse and immaculate. In the Spring, when more than a million people flock to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms in bloom, you can find cherry blossoms sitting serenely, all but ignored, at Arlington. In the Fall, the cemetery is one of the best places to go to find Fall color. There is something poetic about the life and death cycles of these plants paired with the fields of headstones. In December, thousands of wreaths are placed on the graves, leading to even more opportunities for great, unique photos. At any time of year, you can find some place to photograph that’s all your own. The majority of people who visit come for two reasons, the eternal flame at JFK’s grave and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Anywhere outside of these two areas the number of visitors drops off dramatically.
In almost every post, I recommend that you visit places around sunrise or sunset, when the light is ideal, so it is great to finally be able to give you some advice about what to do with the daylight hours. Arlington is, for the most part, only open during daylight hours. The cemetery is open from 8 – 7 between April and September and from 8 – 5 between October and March. There are times of the year when these hours will overlap with sunrise or sunset but just barely. You’re better off saving this as a daytime activity. One recommendation I would make is to check out the cemetery late in the day and then exit through the North gate near the Netherlands Carillon to capture the most amazing view of Washington, DC as the sun sets (see View of the Big 3 on the map below).
Photographic Possibilities
Click on the image to see a larger size.
There is no shortage of great photographic opportunities at Arlington Cemetery. The place is huge and diverse. There are older sections and newer sections. There is flat land and steep hills. I’ve been to Arlington Cemetery several times now and find something new every time.
-Women in Military Service Memorial-
The first thing you’ll see as you approach the entrance to Arlington is the Women in Military Service Memorial (1); a giant stone semi-circle with a central reflecting pool. That Memorial is actually a museum that contains photos and other artifacts that memorialize the sacrifices of women in our military. What attracted me to it was the fact that the central area of the wall looks remarkably similar to a portion of Buckeye Stadium at Ohio State (my alma mater). Plus, I am a sucker for reflections and the pool is so still that you can get perfect reflections.
Tips:
- You’ll have to convert to black and white since the water in the pool is filthy and most of the time looks like lime Gatorade.
- When photographing here, work on creating symmetry.
-Arlington House/L’Enfant Grave-
From most of the Western side of Washington, DC you can look to the East and see a house on a hill. This is Arlington House (2). It used to be Robert E. Lee’s house and it has an amazing view of the city. The house itself is difficult to photograph since it’s large and sits right on the edge of a hill. You can’t back up far enough to get it all in, unless you have a wide-angle lens. It is still well worth the walk up the steep hill because of the view and because of the unique gravesite of Pierre L’Enfant, the architect of DC.
Tip:
- The haze makes it difficult to get quality photographs from the top of the hill, try using a circular polarizing filter to cut through.
-Tomb of the Unknowns-
The Tomb of the Unknowns (4) (AKA Tomb of the Unknown Soldier) is the central attraction of cemetery. Many people who visit head straight to the Tomb and then straight back out. The main event here is the changing of the guard ceremony. It happens every hour, on the hour (when the weather is nice) and every half hour during the heat of Summer and the cold of Winter. One thing you’ll notice here, is how eerily silent the large crowds are. Occasionally, they’ll be chastised by the guard but for the most part it’s silent. You’ll be hyper-aware of the sound your SLR makes as the mirror flips up and occasionally you’ll get dirty looks. I wanted to make a timelapse video of the change ceremony but after a few clicks of the mirror I became self-conscious and stopped.
As you stand on the steps and look at the tomb, the change over ceremony (i.e., the inspection of the incoming and outgoing guards by the sergeant of the guard) takes place to the right-hand side. You’ll even be able to see the well-worn areas where the ceremony is performed over and over again. This is where you’ll want to stand to get the best photos.
Tips:
- Bring a telephoto lens (>135mm). You’ll want to cut out the distractions to ensure the focus is on the soldiers.
- Stick around for a couple of these ceremonies. Once you get a feel for how one goes, you can take that knowledge into the next one.
-Headstones/Section 60-
While the Tomb of the Unknowns may be what people think of when they think about the cemetery, they often forget that it is, in fact, a cemetery. There is a sea of gravestones. I haven’t seen anything like it, aside from other military cemeteries I’ve visited. The cemetery is arranged into sections mainly demarcated by roads. Of all of the sections in the cemetery, I prefer to photograph in Section 60 (5). The older sections of the cemetery are a lot like you would see in any other cemetery, with a diverse arrangement of headstones. I don’t like that. Soldiers with wealthy families, or of higher rank, have huge obelisks or mid-size memorials built in their honor, while less well-to-do soldiers have the standard headstones. Section 60 is one of the newer sections. It is where most of the casualties of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, that are in the cemetery, are buried. In Section 60, a colonel’s grave looks the same as a private’s. Also, in the newer sections the graves are arranged in straight rows that form geometric patterns when viewed from different angles. That uniformity, simplicity, and orderliness says military to me.
Tips:
- Over several trips, I have reinforced my peace with photographing at Arlington by establishing one primary rule; never photograph people in the grave areas.
- When possible, I try to avoid focusing on any single gravestone. Especially when taking photos that I will be sharing with others. If you watched the timelapse video that leads off this post you’ll see that I violated that. Sometimes it’s unavoidable. I also try, when possible, to focus on element such as leaves or flowers and blur the headstones so that they are still recognizable, but people are not attracted to look at the names.
- Areas of the cemetery like Section 60 are perfect for panoramic stitching. What’s amazing about Arlington Cemetery is the vast fields of gravestones and that’s hard to evoke in a single image. The way the stones are arranged can help you ensure your panoramic photos properly overlap. Line your center up along a column of headstones. You’ll notice that when you turn 45 degrees in either direction the headstones will once again align. You can use these alignments as reference points when taking your pano photos.
- In addition to panoramas, two other tricks can help accentuate the vastness of the area. First, you can zoom in rather than taking a wide-angle photo. This might seem antithetical to what I just said about single photos not being wide enough but this conveys a different feeling…density. Zooming in will compress the scene giving the appearance of less space in between the headstones. Another trick you can do is angle your camera downward so that the whole scene, from top to bottom, left to right is filled with headstones.
- The last thing I will suggest is look for patterns. Section 60 is very flat and open. If you go toward the Tomb of the Unknowns where the terrain gets more hilly you can find hillsides covered with gravestones. Photos here have a different feel.
-Other Locations-
There are other locations you will likely want to visit in Arlington Cemetery, but I don’t consider them photogenic. I want to make you aware of them because you might disagree. To find out where they are at you can consult a map of Arlington Cemetery.
- John F. Kennedy Gravesite – Located just behind the Women in Military Service Memorial, a short walk from the entrance, you’ll a memorial to the late President, complete with the eternal flame and his gravesite. All are not terribly interesting photographically, though they are historically.
- Memorial Amphitheater (3) – A beautiful structure with stone columns and interesting architecture, but it doesn’t convey the emotions the rest of the cemetery does. If you’re in the DC area on Memorial day, you can usually see the President give a speech here.
- Audie Murphy, Joe Louis, and other “celebrity” gravesites – Again, these are interesting historically but not visually.
- Shuttle Memorial – Located just behind the Memorial Amphitheater is a Memorial to astronauts that died in the Challenger and Columbia disasters.
What to Bring
Lens: Bring a lens (or several lenses) that handles a wide range of focal lengths (18-135mm for DX cameras; 27-200mm for FX). You won’t have any trouble switching lenses so you can bring whatever you feel comfortable carrying. With the exception of Arlington House I can’t think of any reason why you’d need/want a wide-angle lens. You may, however, want to bring a super-telephoto lens (>200mm) to capture detail in photos at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Tripod: You won’t need your tripod here. Since the cemetery is open only during the daylight hours there will should be enough light to not have to worry about sharpness. That said, there isn’t a rule against carrying one, and I’ve been told they are allowed at the Tomb of the Unknowns (if you need help stabilizing your telephoto lens) so long as you don’t create a tripping hazard or cause yourself to become a focal point. The only time I’ve ever used a tripod at Arlington is when making the timelapse video. I used a Gorillapod and took special care to make sure I was not setting it directly on a grave.
Flash: I’ve used an external, hot-shoe flash at Arlington before; mainly as a fill flash for lighting up Fall leaves and cherry blossoms. I would avoid using it at the Tomb of the Unknowns so you don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
Filters: You might find a circular polarizer helpful for cutting through haze when taking photos over long distances. Also, there is a lot of green in grass and trees that would benefit from the saturating effect of a polarizer.
Bag: Any size bag is fine. You don’t go through any security when entering the cemetery and none of the guards or other workers will give you a hard time. Bring a big enough bag to pack what you’ll need for your day of photography. I usually wear my large photo backpack because I’m on my way from or to somewhere that I’ll be using my tripod and other equipment.
Additional Resources
- Arlington Official Site – The best place to go for up-to-date information about what is going on at the cemetery. There are days (like Memorial Day) when there are restrictions on what you can do and where you can go. This is where you’ll find that sort of information out.
- Construction Update – If there is ever construction that might interfere with your photos, I’ll talk about it in the most recent version of the construction update. As of the writing of this post there is some road construction going on but nothing that obstructs the locations I’ve written about.
- Event Calendar – When I find out about events happening at Arlington Cemetery, I will post them on the event calendar. Look for Wreath Layings in December and Memorial Day events in May.
- My Arlington Cemetery Set on Flickr - I didn’t include all of the photos I’ve taken at Arlington in this post. You can see more photos on Flickr.
- Monumental Thoughts – Rick is a licensed local tour guide and blogger and has a lot of great information about the history of Arlington. This link will lead you to a collection of articles on the cemetery. Rick and a great local photographer have combined photography/history tours if you want to squeeze it all in in a single trip.
- DC Like a Local – A great site for information to plan the logistics of your trip to the cemetery. As well as greater detail on the historic (though not necessarily photogenic) sites to see.
- Rexographer on Flickr – This guy focuses (pun intended) on the Tomb of the Unknowns and has some of the most amazing photographs I’ve seen of the tomb.
- PhotoGuideDC - There is a gentleman that has a blog similar to mine with advice about photographing locations in DC. This link will take you to his article on Arlington Cemetery so you don’t just have to take my word for things.
Summary
What: Arlington National Cemetery
Where: Arlington, VA
When: April – September: 8 – 7; October – March: 8 – 5
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Lens: Telephoto (DX: 18-135mm; FX: 27-200mm) & Super-Telephoto (>135mm; >200mm)
Tripod: Leave it
Flash: Bring it
Filter: Circular Polarizer
Bag: Any Size
Photographic Inspiration – Events at National Geographic
If you’re visiting DC and taking photos, you may want to step away from the camera but not away from photography altogether. Here is an idea to recharge your creative batteries.
I had a lot of expensive hobbies as a kid; G.I. Joes, Legos, video games. One thing that didn’t cost much was my fascination with National Geographic magazine. My mom would give me a couple dollars and I would come back from the second-hand store with a stack of them. My dad eventually purchased a subscription for me. I had a collection that ranged from the early 1950s to the mid-1990s. I would leaf through them, mainly interested in the pictures. It gave me an appreciation for photography, even before I knew what it was.
Fast-forward 20 years, I’m a dedicated amateur photographer, living a couple miles from National Geographic headquarters. Like most photographers, I am still captivated by the contents of the magazine but more interested in taking a picture worthy of it’s pages. So I toil way, taking photos at every opportunity. I still had this nagging feeling though. I’m so close to what, more than any other place I can think of, is a Mecca of photography. When would I make my pilgrimage. Two weeks ago, I finally did.
National Geographic holds events across the country (in LA, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Portland, etc.) and around the world. And they, of course, hold events at their headquarters in downtown Washington, DC. At the beginning of each the Spring and Fall they release a catalog of events. The events range from cultural art and music presentations, to scientific and conservationist discussions, to adventure and photography talks. There are several events in each of these subject areas and they are arranged into series. Each series consists of 3 events and you can go to one or all of them; tickets are slightly cheaper if you buy for a whole series. They are also cheaper if you’re a member of the National Geographic Society.
My Experience
The event I went to was part of this season’s Masters of Photography Series. It was entitled Traveling the World for National Geographic. The ticket was $20. If I were a member of the society it would have been $18, and if I bought at ticket for the full series it would have been $19/show. I didn’t take advantage of either of those options. I ordered my tickets online. It seemed odd to me that there was a fee to have the tickets e-mailed but regular mail deliver was free. I opted for the latter. The tickets arrived within a couple days along with directions from the nearest Metro stations and information about parking. The day before the event I received a robo-call and e-mail warning me that the President would be at a nearby event and there would be driving/parking restrictions.
The talk started at 7:30. Out of a combination of poor estimation and obsessive-compulsiveness I arrived at 6:40. I spent 20 minutes walking around the lobby of the Grosvernor Auditorium (in the NatGeo Headquarters complex) perusing the photography displays. As you can imagine, they were amazing. The lobby and cafe are open during the week as well if you want to stop by. The doors to the auditorium opened at 7 and I took my seat. The auditorium seats probably 200-300 people. Being there early, I didn’t have much competition for seats; the auditorium didn’t start to fill up until about 10 minutes before showtime. I spent the next half hour watching advertisements for upcoming NatGeo events on a projection screen and people-watching as the room filled up. The crowd ranged in age from approximately 10-90 but the average was fairly high (upper 40′s – low 50′s).
Introductions for the speakers began at 7:30. The subject of the talk, the now deceased Tom Abercrombie, had worked for National Geographic for over 40 years so understandably there was a lot to say. After about 15 minutes of introductions, Tom’s wife Lynn and daughter Mari took the stage. The two had compiled a book of Tom’s best pictures and stories from his travels and their talk was an hour and a half teaser of it’s contents. Lynn traveled with Tom during much of his career and recounted her personal stories. Mari read from her dad’s writings about his travels. The presentation covered how Tom was discovered by National Geographic, trips he had taken to the South Pole, Easter Island, and other exotic locations, and about his retirement, all the while projecting his amazing photography onto a large screen.
The bulk of the conversation, and the bulk of Tom’s career, focused on a Middle East much, much different than we know today. Tom and Lynn would fly into Tehran, Iran and drive around the country. They took a car trip from Oman, through Yemen and Saudi Arabia, to Jordan; a trip that would be incredibly dangerous, if not impossible, today. This is the part of the talk I found most interesting. I was 11 when the first Gulf War happened, and I had my first introduction to the Middle East. Outside of mentions in history class, it was largely forgotten until I was 21, and 9/11 happened. For the majority of my life, I’ve seen a consistent, largely negative portrayal of the Arab world. It was great to hear Lynn’s stories of traveling the countryside, receiving help from bedouins paired with Tom’s pictures of smiling faces.
-My Impression-
I found the experience enlightening, educational, and, at times, humorous. One of Tom’s former bosses who did the introduction recounted how Tom had once purchased a rifle and expensed it to National Geographic, writing it up as “car insurance,” which indeed it was in the lawless deserts of the Middle East. The presentation was also slow at times and seemed overly scripted.
The photography was great. I would have expected no less from a National Geographic event. It was, however, not my cup of tea. Tom Abercrombie was largely a cultural, person photographer. My tastes, especially as far as NatGeo is concerned, lean more toward landscapes and wildlife. Tom’s career took place entirely in the film days. My experience with photography has been digital capture, digital editing. Before I went, I hoped that somewhere, embedded in this experience, would be some hint of how to get published in the magazine or how to live the dream of being a National Geographic photographer. Instead, I learned that Tom’s experience is unique and is not likely to happen again (making his story worth telling) and that being a National Geographic photographer is not all it’s cracked up to be; Tom nearly died on several occasions.
I will certainly go to another Masters of Photography event, but I will take greater care to pick an event that more closely suits my interests. I want to try the Quest for Adventure Series and some special events.
For a first experience with National Geographic, this was a positive experience, well worth the time. It made me nostalgic for the days in which I would thumb through a magazine and experience the world outside of small town, North Dakota.
How I Plan Trips and What Goes Into PhotoTourismDC
I’ve spent nearly all of my adult life in college (i.e., I was broke). Two years ago, I started my first “real” job and started earning some money but have only used two vacation days. Now that I have the combination of means (money) and opportunity (vacation days), I’ve started to think about travelling. Through this process I realized that I don’t know how “normal” people plan vacations. I thought it would be helpful for me to write out my planning process and get some feedback. This post may also offer advice (or at least some ideas) to people who are in the same, confused position. Finally, this will, hopefully, give you some insight into how I go about writing articles for this blog.
Where to Go & What’s Worth Seeing
There’s a scene in the movie Moneyball where Jonah Hill’s character is explaining his philosophy of baseball to Brad Pitt. He tells him that the goal of running a baseball team shouldn’t be to buy players; it should be to buy wins and to get wins you need to buy runs. I have a similar philosophy when it comes to vacations; it’s not about purchasing plane tickets or hotel rooms, it’s about buying memories and photographic opportunities. So when determining where to go, I want to know that there are enough places and times to photograph to make the trip worth the time and expense I’m putting into it.
First, I have to have a general idea of where I want to go. Inspiration for that can come from pretty much anywhere. I recently watched the documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea and was inspired to visit some (and eventually all) of America’s 58 National Parks. In particular, I was fascinated by Glacier National Park. Next, I start “gathering ideas.” My first stop is usually Flickr but you can use whatever photo site you’d like. I find Google Image search often gives too many irrelevant results. On Flickr, I’ll type in search terms like “Glacier National Park” (using the quotes is helpful) and sort by “interestingness.” I go through the screens of pictures and add them to collections or pin them to Pinterest (Warning: there’s still some discussion of whether this constitutes copyright infringement). You will occasionally see the same photographers with great, high-ranked pictures; these people often have their own websites that are also worth visiting. For Glacier National Park you’ll see names such as QT Luong, Tom Lussier, Varina Patel, and Trey Ratcliff. Once I have gathered a number of ideas, I use the title and caption or geolocation information on Flickr to plot them on a Google Map. This is helpful for seeing how dispersed they are. You don’t want to spend most of your vacation driving from place to place. For pictures in remote areas, I often draw in the trails using trail maps or other sources of information. I also try to find videos and embed them into my maps as well. Videos can tell a story that you just can’t get with a photo.
Once I’ve plotted everything on the map, I start searching for hotels and nearby towns with airports. The maps are helpful in this process because I can calculate distance and drive times. At Glacier, most of the non-resort hotels are 45-60 minutes from the photos I want to take. That makes for a lot of driving early in the morning and late at night. So I opted for one of the hotels inside the park. Once I’ve found travel and lodging accommodations I plot those on the map as well. Click on the pins or trails on the maps below to see photos and videos.
Now that I have the map built it is quite versatile. I can embed it on a website, I can send friends and other travelers links to it, or I can export the information to a .kml file and people can upload it to their accounts or into Google Earth. Having the information ported over to Google Earth is helpful because you can see your photos plotted in 3-D and get a better sense of what the conditions will be like. This is especially dramatic in a highly three-dimensional place like Glacier National Park. You can also allow others write-access to the map so it can be built collaboratively with your fellow travelers. It’s also helpful for built-up areas like Washington, DC where Google Earth displays buildings.
-Useful Tools-
There are tools available that can save you the trouble of constructing your own maps. They aren’t quite as powerful as Google Maps; you can’t draw trails, calculate distances, add videos, or export to any other format, but they can save you hours of photo searching and tedious HTML coding.
Flickr Map - I’ve already mentioned Flickr but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the mapping feature. You can zoom into an area and look at photos. Any photos that are publically available and geotagged will appear on the map. The tighter you zoom in the more specific photos you’re going to get. There are a lot of photos on Flickr though; some great, some good, and a lot of bad. For popular locations you are going to have to sort through a lot to find some inspiration.
Stuck on Earth – The Stuck on Earth app from Trey Ratcliff offers a slick interface to connect with geolocated pictures from Flickr. While there are some not so great photos on the site most are great. One other great innovation of the app is the use of curated lists of amazing images. So you can select your location and find great ideas without having to drop pins and type in HTML code.
Shutterguides.com – As great as I’ve heard Stuck on Earth is, it does not have a web-based utility to access it, you need an iPad (or Android?) device. Shutterguides offers user created maps in a web format, however it is still pretty new and there is not much content on the site. There is currently no function to browse the site so you have to take a chance at typing in a location you’re interested in and hoping there is a map.
Nature Valley Trail View – This site offers Google Streetview-like maps of hiking trails. Only three National Parks are represented so far (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky) but this has a lot of potential. I am excited to see what else they add.
Google Maps – Google Maps has a service called Panoramio where people can drop their pictures onto a map and they become publically available. Like Flickr Maps, I have found it frustrating to find inspiring pictures, but sometimes that’s not what you’re looking for, you might just want ideas. For that purpose, Google Maps is sufficient.
When to Go
Regular readers of Phototourism DC know that I am not a person photographer. With several exceptions (e.g., giving an object a sense of scale), I’d rather my landscapes, cityscapes, and seascapes be person-free. So I’m always interested in finding times of the day and times of the year when traffic is low. Time of day is easy; earlier is almost always better. Time of year is dependent on a place and what draws people there. People generally go at certain times because the weather is ideal or because there’s a specific, time-constrained attraction (e.g., the cherry blossoms in DC). I try to balance these tradeoffs when deciding when to go.
The Internet makes it easy to find information about the best time to go. For National Park Service Parks, in particular, there is a site that provides statistics about monthly visitor levels. I have used this a lot to plan my trips to various National Parks. The graph below shows average number of visits per month to Glacier National Park. From the graph you can see that there is a spike in traffic between June and August. I originally planned on going in May because you can see the relatively small number of visitors, but found out in the planning process that many of the hiking trails and roads don’t open until late June because of lingering snow. So that, and the fact that most businesses are only open during the summer, explains the uptick in traffic. Rather than travel during the peak months of June-August, I’ve decided to plan my trip for September, at the very end of the tourism season, when trails are (hopefully) still open and many would-be travelers have packed it in for the season.
-Useful Tools-
Once I’ve decided on a set of days I want to go, I can start to see what exactly getting to a place “early” means by using The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) and Google Earth Desktop.
The Photographer’s Ephemeris – TPE allows you to drop a pin on a Google map and see not only the sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times but also the direction the sun and moon will rise and set. This gives you some idea of what the lighting situation will be, especially when you have objects such as mountains that are likely to create long shadows and greater dynamic range you’ll have to think about when photographing. TPE also, importantly, gives you the beginning and ending of twilight times; when the first hint of light will first appear on the Eastern horizon or when the last hint of light will disappear from the Western horizon. This is important if you’re interested in capturing stars. I spend so much time in the city, away from stars, that this is one of my primary goals. Having these times allows you to backwards plan and figure out when you have to leave to arrive at your destination before sunrise or sunset.
Google Earth – Google Earth is also extremely helpful because it saves you from having to use your spacial reasoning skills to guess at what the light will look like on a landscape. You can choose a spot on the map and use the Sunlight tool to dial in a particular time of the day and year. The program will show you, in a very basic way, what areas will be cast in shadow and what areas will be receiving light at a given time. The picture below shows sunrise on September 10th, 2012 at a point along the Iceberg Lake Trail.
What to Bring
Now that I know when and where I’m going, where I’m going to stay, and how I’m going to get there, I have to figure out what photographic gear to pack. I have a certain baseline level of equipment that I would bring anywhere (i.e., camera (obviously), an 18-200mm lens, and a camera strap). Anything beyond that is going to add weight, hassle, and possibly expense, so knowing if it’s necessary is important. For this, I once again go to Flickr. I look back through those photos I pinned, collected, or otherwise saved and look through the EXIF (click link for an example) information:
- If there are photos I like that require a focal length wider than 18mm, I pack my 11-16mm lens.
- If there are wildlife photos that require a focal length greater than 200mm, I pack my 70-300mm lens.
- If there are photos with shutter speeds less than 1/30 s, I pack my tripod and cable release.
- If there are waterfalls I pack my neutral density filter.
- I then pack a bag large enough to carry all of this.
The Connection to PhotoTourism DC
If you read my posts, this format probably looks familiar to you. Rather than having you do each of these things, which admittedly is a little extreme and burdensome, I try to shoulder some of the load. I create maps and (in order to save me the stress of worrying about copyright) I show you my own pictures. I show you graphs of visitor levels and suggest ideal times to visit in order to avoid crowds but still get great photos. I offer advice about what equipment to bring to get the most out of your trip.
One of my original motivations for starting this site was to inspire people to write similar blog posts for where they live. I would love it if information that suits the way I plan my vacations were readily available on the Internet. If anyone wants to pick up the mantle of PhotoTourismNYC, or PhotoTourismLA, or PhotoTourismGNP please, please do.
Though they have nothing to do with this blog, Stuck on Earth and Shutterguides both came out after I started writing this. If they had been around 8 months ago, this site may have never existed.
What Do You Think?
Tell me your thoughts using the comments below. If you’d rather send a private comment you can use the Contact Form. I would love to hear what strategies and tools you use to plan your vacations, whether you think I’m a nutcase or whether I’m on to something, and what other information I should add to my blog posts to make them especially useful.
Photographing Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC
Nothing brings crowds to Washington, DC like the Cherry Blossom Festival. More than a million visitors come into the city over the two-week window in which the roughly 3,800 cherry trees around the city sprout their white and pink flowers. As an area resident, I find it great to be so close to an area so many people want to go. It’s also rough having to share the beautiful scenes with so many people. If you’re from the area, you might feel the same way. If you’re visiting, you might start to feel claustrophobic. In this post, I’ll show you where all the action is and where you can find some trees away from all the crowds.
When to Go
You don’t get to choose your time of year. The peak bloom window is usually only a week long. There are budding and falling flowers for a week or so on either side of the peak but the perfect scenes are fleeting. The bloom period is highly dependent on the temperature and moisture in February and March. It ranges from late March through Mid-April with an average peak bloom around April 4th according to the National Park Service (NPS), which closely tracks the blooming period for the cherry trees around DC. If you have to choose a time to visit well in advance, April 4th is going to be your best bet. If your plans are more flexible, you can wait for the annual forecast. This year’s announcement was on March 1st and the predicted peak bloom is March 24 – March 31st. The bloom date was later revised to March 20 – March 23.
It seems like I say this in every post I write, but the best time of day to photograph the cherry blossoms is early morning when the white flowers reflect the soft, colorful light. Perhaps more importantly, you can get photos of the trees that include the ground without crowds of people. After 10 a.m., it’ll be tough to find an angle that doesn’t include a lot of people looking upwards, strollers, and other photographers. Sunrise isn’t always easy either. Morning brings out the hardcore photographers with their tripods, long lenses, and other gear (see the photo below for an example). Midday photos are tough unless there are clouds to diffuse the light. The combination of bright light and white flowers can lead to blown out areas in your photos. Sunsets provide another chance for great light but the crowds will be very heavy. In some areas you may even have trouble setting up your tripod.
Photographic Possibilities
With that said, there are plenty of places to go so you won’t be constantly competing with others for the right angles and the best photos. The map below shows several of my favorite locations. You can click on the pins to see photos from each location. There are written descriptions of each location below the map.
View Larger Map
-The Tidal Basin-
The Tidal Basin is ground zero for the cherry blossoms. There are 1,678 trees along the 1.8 miles of pathways surrounding the Basin and the views across the water provide great foreground and background elements. So it’s no surprise that this is where you’ll find the most people. One of the best spots around the Tidal Basin is near the FDR Memorial where you’ll find a Japanese Lantern Sculpture and clean views of the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument. Just south of the FDR Memorial is a spot where you can get a beautiful profile photo of the Jefferson backlit by the sun at sunrise. From the steps of the Jefferson Memorial itself you get a beautiful 180-degree view of the tree lined tidal basin. Following the pathway around to the Tidal Basin parking lot you’ll find more beautiful trees and a straight-on view of the Jefferson. Finally, one place that is sure to attract thousands of visitors this year is the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. This will be the first chance to see the several hundred new trees bloom around Washington’s newest Memorial.
-Haynes Point/East Potomac Park-
The nearly three miles of roads around Haynes Point are mostly used as a place for people to park during the cherry blossom season but this area actually has more trees than the Tidal Basin. If you park at the Haynes Point lot, you should walk out rather than taking the complimentary bus. Haynes Point is not very picturesque. It’s usually covered with debris that washes in at high tide. But the long walks and less than ideal setting will give you a lot of trees to yourself. Here you can take portraits with your friends and family and take your time with macro photos. You probably won’t want many wide-angle photos here.
-Washington Monument-
Just to the northwest of the Washington Monument is an amazing clump of cherry trees. Across all of the Monument’s grounds there are 342 trees, but this grouping of trees, in particular, offers great photos. In addition to the flowering trees and the Washington Monument in the background there is nicely manicured grass (which you can’t always say about the Tidal Basin and Haynes Point). These trees are in a high traffic area between the White House and the Tidal Basin but don’t get as much attention as the other areas.
-Around the U.S. Capitol-
The Capitol Building is on the opposite end of the National Mall from the Tidal Basin. While a popular tourist attraction in it’s own right, the Capitol doesn’t get the same density of crowds that you see on the West end of the Mall at this time. And there are great trees here as well. There is a beautiful set of trees just to the South of the Capitol steps on the West side of the Capitol.
-Lower Senate Park-
Just to the North of the Capitol there is a park with fountains, benches, and a few dozen cherry trees. This area gets passersby that are heading from Union Station to the Capitol (or vice versa) but otherwise people don’t seek these trees out. This provides a great opportunity for pictures without all the crowds.
-Japanese American Memorial to Heroism During WWII-
This Memorial is a great hidden gem in DC. It has really nice curving lines and as an homage to it’s Japanese-American namesake is surrounded by cherry trees.
-Arlington Cemetery-
Arlington National Cemetery is one of the best places to go in the Spring and the Fall for great tree pictures. There is a variety of trees and the graves offer a solemn setting. The trees are not located in any one place in the cemetery so you’ll have to keep an eye out. I know there are some near the Arlington House. I walked through Arlington recently and the trees are easy to spot. Just walk around and you’ll see them.
What to Bring
Lens: In my opinion, there are two schools of thought regarding photos of the cherry blossoms. You can opt for photos of the cherry blossoms that include their surroundings (e.g., the Jefferson Memorial). For these photos, I recommend a standard zoom lens with focal lengths 18-135mm for DX cameras (27-200 for FX). Wider angles are necessary, because the further you step back the more likely it is someone will step in between you and your subject. Or you can take tight, detailed, macro photos of the flowers. For this you can use the zoom lens and a large aperture or you can bring a specialty macro lens. At this time of year there is no shortage of tulips, daffodils, and other flowers to make bringing the macro lens worth the extra weight.
Tripod: A tripod will definitely be necessary for sunrise photos otherwise it’s just a lot to lug around. Around midday you may block people’s way by setting it up around the Tidal Basin. Be cognizant of your surroundings. You won’t be able to set it up at the Capitol or inside the Jefferson Memorial, and technically you’re not supposed to in Lower Senate Park but it’s unlikely anyone will stop you. At Haynes Point you’ll have all the room you need to set up your tripod and any other gear. You shouldn’t need a tripod at Arlington Cemetery since it’s only open during daylight hours anyway, plus I don’t like setting one up there out of respect.
Flash: A hot-shoe flash can be helpful for fill lighting during the day. When taking close up photos it’s best to have a hot-shoe or separate lighting source so the barrel of your lens doesn’t cast shadows when you’re getting up close.
Filter: A circular polarizer can be used to clear haze, darken sky, and saturate the grass.
Additional Resources
Event Calendar - The cherry blossom season offers more than just trees to photograph. There are parades, kite festivals, fireworks, and more. I’ll add information about events I think you’ll enjoy photographing to the event calendar.
NPS Cherry Blossom Site – The National Park Service’s official cherry blossom site. The best source of information on the blooming state of the trees and the latest predictions about blooming periods. For the scientifically minded, there’s also descriptions of what types of cherry trees can be found at each location.
Cherry Blossom Festival - 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the cherry blossoms and there are tons of events happening, not all of which are particularly photogenic but are interesting nonetheless. This site is the best source of information on what’s going on during the month-long festival.
Capital Photo History Tours – A great local photographer along with a licensed tour guide will be offering a combination photography/history tour of the Tidal Basin area on April 1st. If you’re interested in the 100 years of history behind the cherry trees along with some direction in your photography adventures this might be your thing.
Monumental Thoughts - A local tour guide and longtime Washingtonian (from the aforementioned Photo History Tours) gives his advice about where to go to find cherry blossoms.
PhotoguideDC - A site that’s remarkably similar to PhototourismDC (right down to the name) and has a lot of great content, including this article on the cherry blossoms.
Summary
What: Cherry Blossoms
Where: Tidal Basin, Capitol, Japanese-American WWII Memorial, & Arlington Cemetery
When: March 20th – 23rd
____________________________
Lens: Telephoto (DX: 18-135mm; FX: 27-200mm) & Macro
Tripod: Bring It (Full)
Flash: Bring it
Filter: Circular Polarizer
Bag: Any Size
No Photography Allowed
I get embarrassed when I’m “corrected” by a security guard about having a tripod where it’s not allowed. It’s also disappointing to realize that I won’t get a photo that I’ve imagined (at least where a tripod is necessary). That’s one reason why I started this blog; to save you that hassle. In each of the blog articles I try to outline the random patchwork of tripod restriction areas across the many sights in DC.
With this post, I want to take that one step further and tell you where you’re not allowed to take pictures at all. Nobody really talks about where photography is not allowed. Hopefully this post can help you avoid run-ins with security guards and the disappointment of pre-planning a photo that just won’t happen.
For Security
Washington, DC tries (and sometimes fails) to properly balance security with public interest. Any place that attracts visitors is going to attract cameras; SLRs, point-and-shoot, cell phones, etc. Figuring out where to draw that line can seem arbitrary and burdensome to photographers. Nowhere does this balance tip more toward the security side than the seats of power; the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court; and the Pentagon.
The Interior of the White House – I’ve seen photos of the inside of the White House taken by non-press, non-professional photographers so I wouldn’t say it’s strictly prohibited. I will say that the White House website is very explicit about the fact that cameras are not allowed during the regular tours that you can arrange by contacting your Senator or Representative.
The House and Senate Chambers – On the regular tour of the Capitol building that you arrange through the Capitol website or through your Congressperson photography is allowed, even encouraged. If you want to see a session of the House or Senate however, you’ll have to check your camera with the Sergeant at Arms’ Staff at either the House or Senate Gallery Staging Areas (<– this is a correction, thanks to a vigilant reader). You can get floor passes to sit in on a Congressional Session by visiting the office of your Senator or Representative.
The Supreme Court Chambers – Again, photography is allowed throughout the building, just not in the courtroom. Visiting the courtroom is filled on a first-come, first-served basis by standing in line during times when the court is in session. You can either sit in for the whole time or walk through as the justices are hearing arguments. No photography please!
The Pentagon – Given its recent history and the generally secretive nature of national security it probably isn’t surprising that photography isn’t allowed around the Pentagon. As soon as you come out of the Pentagon Metro Station you’ll see “No Photography” signs everywhere. It’s also probably no surprise that you can’t take pictures while on tours of the interior of the building. Exception: The Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. Photography is allowed in this narrowly defined area.
In General – As a general rule you should avoid taking pictures of security checkpoints, bag screeners, or individual security guards. This will definitely raise some red flags for security who are told to be vigilant for those gathering intelligence for a future attack.
For Peace and Quiet
There are some places where photography is banned, not so much for security, but for the protection of artwork and for the sanity of people who want to enjoy a place without mirrors clicking, shutters closing, cameras beeping, or flashes popping.
National Archives Rotunda – Like many places that house artwork and fine print work, I’m willing to bet that this was meant as a ban on flash photography to protect documents that are sensitive to light, but they soon realized that people don’t know how to turn off the flash on their cameras so expanded it to complete abstinence. You can bring your camera in but you’ll have to stow it while walking through the rotunda.
Library of Congress Reading Room – This is one of the most beautiful rooms in all of DC and it would quickly fill up with people if they didn’t have restrictions. You can get into the room to study or do research by obtaining a reader identification card but you can’t take any photos. There is an overlook that is accessible to non-card carrying visitors but photography is banned from there as well. Exception: The Library of Congress Reading Room Open House. On Columbus Day (in October) and President’s Day (in February) the Library of Congress opens the Reading Room and the Overlook to visitors and photographers.
In General - You should also avoid flash photography in any building that has artwork (painted or photographed; not sculptures) or documentation out of respect for the artist/author and for the people who would like to see a non-faded version of it 100 or 200 years from now. There will often be signage that specifically state “Flash Photography Prohibited.”
A Public Service Announcement – Don’t Be a Dick to Security
Also, please, please, please don’t get into altercations with security who ask you what you’re doing or ask you to move along. At least once a month I’ll read an article about a photographer who gets hassled by security. Most often these stories take place in the Metro or near public transportation hubs like Union Station or Reagan National Airport.
All of these stories go the exact same way. A security guard or police officer asks a photographer what they’re doing. The photographer explains. The guard doesn’t understand and asks further questions or asks the person to go elsewhere. The photographer attempts to demonstrate their intellectual superiority by quoting something about photography in public places that they read on the Internet. The guard gets upset that they’re being corrected and/or talked down to by the photographer and the situation escalates into something more than it has to.
Explain what you’re doing to the guard and if he or she still asks you to go…just acknowledge that they have a tough job (picking out genuinely dangerous folks from hordes of innocuous ones) and go. Maybe the guard does legitimately need further training about dealing with photographers but arguing with them isn’t going to change their mind. Ask to speak to their supervisor if you’d like to address it.
I’ve only been stopped once. I was on the National Mall attempting to make a timelapse video of clouds passing over the Smithsonian Castle. I had my camera on a tripod and I was looking up a lot, which I guess was pretty suspicious. A Park Police officer drove up and asked me what I was doing, I explained, and he drove away. He did pass by a couple more times in the half hour I was out there but everything went well. Granted, I’m a nerdy, young-looking, white male so I probably don’t fit a lot of mental profiles that might make a behavior seem any more suspicious than it is. The moral of the story is that it doesn’t have to turn into a thing.
Have Something to Add?
I want this page (and this site) to be a resource for people visiting DC with their camera as well as local photographers. If you know any locations around DC I should add to this list let me know in the comments below or via my CONTACT FORM.
